New crepe restaurant opens + A big move for Golf Universe + Banana bread voting
Kagen Coffee & Crepes has opened its new spot in downtown Kennewick.
Owner Kagen Cox announced the business opened at 308 W. Kennewick Ave.
Its new home was previously occupied by Foodies Brick & Mortar, which relocated to the Columbia Park waterfront after a fire in neighboring Cascade building forced it to close for a time.
The Kennewick spot echoes the original shop, which opened in 2016 in the Uptown Shopping center in Richland as the first crepe restaurant in Tri-Cities.
The menu features crepe recipes created by Kagen and Jennifer Cox. Their offerings run from savory classics to sweet crepes made with Nutella, peanut butter, chocolate, fruit and more. Coffee, tea and sodas round out the menu.
Kagens’ has had a storied run since its chaotic debut seven years ago.
It opened to such strong demand that it had to restock midway through the first day, after buying enough groceries to last for four.
When the pandemic hit, the business survived through a combination of a Paycheck Protection Loan and opening a drive-thru in Spokane. They sold that after the pandemic abated.
More recently, Cox competed on “Food Stars,” a Fox reality TV show hosted by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay. Kagen didn’t win, but it didn’t stop him from looking for a new outpost to expand his business.
The Kennewick restaurant is open 7 a.m.-2 p.m., Wednesday to Saturday. Follow Kagen on its Facebook page.
Vote for Aub’s
Aubrieann Johnson, owner of Aub’s Bananza Bread in Pasco and Kennewick, is competing in the Greatest Baker, an online contest organized by Bake From Scratch magazine.
The competitor with the most online votes will be featured in the magazine and take home $10,000. Voting began Nov. 27 and the first deadline is Dec. 7.
Supporters can cast one vote for free or pay $1 per vote to cast as many votes as they wish. Donations are tax-deductible and will support families dealing with pediatric cancer.
Support Johnson at The Greatest Baker. Aub’s specializes in flavored banana breads, including plain, nutty, fruity, chocolaty and even fiery.
Her products are available at the Pasco Specialty Kitchen, 110 S. Fourth Ave., and at the Public Market at Columbia River Warehouse, 10 E. Bruneau Ave., Kennewick.
Read Johnson’s story here and follow her at on her Facebook page.
Golf Universe closing, then opening
Kennewick’s iconic Golf Universe will close its longtime store on Clearwater Avenue the day after Christmas in anticipation of its cross-town move to new quarters on Edison Street.
The Golf Universe crew will take about a week to reset, then open its new pro shop store with upgraded equipment in early January.
The date has not been set. The new Golf Universe will be a full-service pro shop. The business is gaining new high-tech equipment but is giving up the driving range and mini golf courses that made its current spot such a destination.
Golf Universe will occupy two spaces in a newly built 30,000-square-foot commercial shopping center at 825 N. Edison St., near Kamiakin High School.
Follow its progress at golfuniversetc.com
This story was originally published November 29, 2023 at 7:00 AM.